WASHINGTON (AP)  The Internal Revenue Service is apologizing for inappropriately flagging conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status. Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS unit that oversees tax-exempt groups, said organizations that included the words "tea party" or "patriot" in their applications for tax-exempt status were singled out for additional reviews. Lerner said the practice, initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati, was wrong and she apologized while speaking at a conference in Washington. Many conservative groups complained during the election that they were being harassed by the IRS. They said the agency asked them an inordinate number of questions to justify their tax-exempt status. Certain tax-exempt charitable groups can conduct political activities but it cannot be their primary activity.

Will they apologize for all the politically-motivated audits initiated by ‘Rat-minded politicians and bureaucrats every election since Woodrow Wilson? Will they apologize for all these audits and harassments that they WILL still perform in all the elections for the next 100 years? It would be nice, especially the latter, because I don’t expect them to stop.

10
posted on 05/10/2013 8:10:16 AM PDT
by C210N
(When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)

They should by trying these buggers in court and convicting them and sentencing them to a$$-banging jail. Further, the IRS as an agency should be held liable for treble monetary damages and punitive liability 100 times that.

No surprise. 10-15 years ago, I founded a property rights organization to educate homeowners about some local environmental proposals that would take away property rights. The IRS fought our 501c3 status application, and we ended up folding (after raising tens of thousands of dollars, and winning the battle).

I’m pretty certain it was heart felt and they really, really mean it. Don’t worry about those crossed fingers behind their backs. While your at it, don’t listen to those folks who talk about tyranny and big government. They’re here to help you.

16
posted on 05/10/2013 8:15:01 AM PDT
by rktman
(BACKGROUND CHECKS? YOU FIRST mr. president(not that we'd get the truth!))

So the lawyers were or are about to go public with this and the IRS is beating them to the podium with their little “not politically motivated low level workers in Cincinnati” story....oh ok that sounds about right

Apology goes nowhere to the ones that had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to fend off the attacks of the IRS. Not to speak of those that were destroyed by the audit. This is criminal and the IRS should be audited and employees should be hired by ability, not affirmative action.

Back in May 2009, Professor Glenn Reynolds, better known to his followers as Instapundit, penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in which he discussed some odd rhetoric from President Obama. Obama had been refused an honorary doctorate by Arizona State University, and Obama remarked, President [Michael] Crowe and the Board of Regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS. Reynolds pointed out:

Just a joke about the power of the presidency. Made by Jay Leno it might have been funny. But as told by Mr. Obama, the actual president of the United States, it’s hard to see the humor. Surely he’s aware that other presidents, most notably Richard Nixon, have abused the power of the Internal Revenue Service to harass their political opponents. But that abuse generated a powerful backlash and with good reason. Should the IRS come to be seen as just a bunch of enforcers for whoever is in political power, the result would be an enormous loss of legitimacy for the tax system.

As it turns out, the IRS under President Obama routinely gave special scrutiny for groups with the terms tea party or patriots in their titles. His little joke doesnt read much like a joke anymore.

Paula and Stephen Jones
Billy Dale (Travel Office)
Texe Marrs
Western Journalism Center (Joseph Farah)
Citizens for a Sound Economy
Manufacturing Policy Project (Pat Choate)
American Life League
Christian Film and Television Commission
National Rifle Association
National Review
American Spectator
National Center for Public Policy Research
American Policy Center
Many more...
Heritage Foundation http://alamo-girl.com/0273.htm

Unfortunately you are right...and we do tend to follow the tail that is wagged don’t we? None of this should surprise us, we’re watching the equivalent to any “gang” of mobsters dressed in suites and role playing to look “shaven and clean”.

Take everything away from everyone involved, leave them destitute. Matter of fact, take everything away from everyone who works for the IRS. Make those who aren’t involved prove it. Goose-Gander, that’s the way they treat taxpayers.

49
posted on 05/10/2013 11:55:53 AM PDT
by Quickgun
(I got here kicking,screaming and covered in someone else's blood. I can go out that way if I have to)

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